If we exclude Hong Kong, Hangzhou is probably #1 for combining urban scenery with nature.
If it's just great urban views you're looking for, then Shanghai would be your best choice.
I don't think Guilin is a good example, the scenery around it is indeed beautiful, but the city itself has nothing.
Chongqing can seem nice when you view it from afar, but extremely ugly when you walk its streets. Still, it is one of China's most fascinating cities I think.

I once traveled to Guilin and Yangshuo with my friends in October, 2011. We set off alongside the tranquil Li River for a good introduction to Guangxi's dreamlike scenery, with its otherworldly karst topography as a backdrop. Many streets are embroidered with osmanthus trees, filling the air with a sweet fragrance. Take the bamboo raft ride or cycle through the dreamy valleys.

I also found that if you get up early in Lijiang the tourist crowds aren't too bad, and on the side streets are nearly empty on most days.

Personally when I was in Xi'an I found it rather dusty and the area outside of the old city wall had very little character. That said, there are many historical sites there and once inside the city wall and wandering around the muslim quarter it can be pleasant.

Hi, in my view, Shanghai is­ the most beautiful city of China. It is a historical and cultural city. Travelling Shanghai, you can see the blending of Westerin and Eastern culture. If you have chance, you should visit Yu Garden, Yuyuan Market, Oriental Pearl TV tower, The Bund, Shanghai Museum, Zhujiajiao, or Nanjing Road.

Guilin-Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Southwest Chin:-
The Li River from Zhujiang Pier to Yangshuo is like an artist's masterpiece. The landscape is decorated with startling hills, steep cliffs, fantastic caves and farming villages, and is lined with bamboo groves. In a Chinese poem it is written: "The river is a green silk ribbon, and the hills are jade hairpins".

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